Archive - 2010

For many, Mothers' Day is a wonderful day to celebrate our mothers and fond memories, and to enjoy and cherish our children and grandchildren.

For mothers who have lost children to sudden cardiac arrest, it can be a day of pain, sorrow and longing--not only because death came too soon, but because it took the promise of  future grandchildren with it.

If this description fits you, please know that we at the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation are thinking of you on what might be a very difficult day. May this expression of our sympathy bring you some comfort.

I’ve always been in peak physical condition, very healthy and extremely active….running, hiking, kayaking and biking.  But on August 17, 2008, I suffered sudden cardiac arrest while swimming in the Danskin Triathlon and disappeared underneath the water.  What saved my life was the quick action of volunteers at the event who saw me go under and started CPR and the quick response by emergency medical personnel at the scene. 

 This is my story. I am a paramedic who encountered one the most challenging calls of my career on May 27, 2007 at the age of 52, my own cardiac arrest. I was working out at the firehouse on shift on the treadmill when I started having an uncomfortable feeling in my chest. I slowed down and walked for awhile and then got off the treadmill and took a full aspirin. I walked out to the ambulance were some of the other paramedics were training. They put me on the monitor and ran a 12 lead EKG. This showed I was having a heart attack, a STEMI MI. En route to the hospital I arrested five times. On the last defibrillation I woke up with them bagging me. I had to ask them why? They then told me what had happen. I was taken to the cath lab and a stent put in my coronary artery.